1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to data backup and restore systems in a computer system. Particularly, this invention relates to facilitating the capture of user settings for data backup and restore systems.
2. Description of the Related Art
For a backup product running on an end user's desktop, it can be challenging to develop convenient processes for the backup system to determine the operational settings desired by the user. Particularly, one of the principle settings directing the operation of a data backup system determines what files to backup. The simplest approach, of course, is to just backup all data. However, time and storage space constraints often make such an approach impractical, if not impossible.
Many backup systems operate by populating lists specifying the files and/or file types to be included in a backup. The system, e.g. a backup software client running on the user system, then monitors changes to any files included on the populated lists and makes backups of those files when they are changed. The user may be provided with some default file lists, such as specifying all the files in the “My Documents” directory. The list might also be seeded with some common file extensions, such as *.doc and *.xls. In some backup systems the user may be given a list of predetermined file types to choose from, such as Office Files, Financial files, Music files, etc. Various systems and methods have been developed to facilitate making data backups of files on a computer system.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050131990 by Jewell, published Jun. 16, 2005, describes a data backup system for backing up a data file from a source device having a source processor and an input device to a target device having a target processor and a database over a communication network. The source processor determines whether the data file has been modified, and if so, to determine the modified data block(s). The modified data block(s) are transmitted from the source processor to the target processor over the communication network. The target processor receives the modified data block(s) from the source device over the communications network, and uses the modified data blocks to construct the data file, and to store the data file on the database. Concurrently, it is determined if the input device is active at any time during the backup process, and if so, the backup processing is interrupted until the input device has been inactive for a predetermined period of time.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040193953 by Callahan et al., published Sep. 30, 2004, describes a method, system, and program for maintaining configuration settings for applications on a computer system. Configuration backup information indicates configuration settings to backup for at least one of application. The configuration backup information is processed to access the indicated configuration settings for the at least one application on the computer system to backup and the accessed configuration settings for at least one application are stored in at least one file. The stored configuration settings are recovered for use with at least one application.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050010616 by Burks, published Jan. 13, 2005, describes a method of backing up files including storing a plurality of files on a local device, transmitting a list of the files to a backup/restoration service, identifying an ownership property associated with each of the files, and selectively restoring at least one of the files associated with an appropriate status of the ownership property. A system includes a storage medium configured to store a plurality of files, a communications link connected to the storage medium for transmitting a list of the files to a remote location, and a file server located at the remote location. The file server is connected to the communications link and operable to receive and store the list of files in response to a restoration request for selectively restoring files associated with an appropriate status of an ownership property associated with the files.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20040167942 by Oshinsky et al., published Aug. 26, 2004, describes a data retrieval system comprising a first computing device communicatively coupled to a second computing device; the first computing device having a processor that supports operation of at least one software application that is used for retrieving data; the second computing device communicatively coupled to one or more storage media; the software application having a retrieval module for retrieving data from the one or more storage media; a storage and backup map that maps to the second computing device; and a data index stored on the second computing device that indicates to the retrieval module a particular location of the data that is to be retrieved by the retrieval module.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050021950 by Rothbarth et al., published Jan. 27, 2005, describes an application and method for transmitting copies of data to a remote back-up site for storage, and for retrieving copies of the previously stored data from the remote back-up site. A user designates files from an originating computer for which to transfer copies to a destination computer. The originating computer transfer designated data to portable computer readable medium for storage. The portable medium is physically delivered to the destination user. The destination user uploads the stored data to the destination computer. The destination computer authenticates the uploaded data. If the data is authenticated, the destination computer stores copies of the designated files.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,108,799 by Boulay et al., issued Aug. 22, 2000, describes a system and method for automatically generating at least one instance of a computer macro virus that is native to or associated with an application. The method includes steps of (a) providing a suspect virus sample; and (b) replicating the suspect virus sample onto a least one goat file, using at least one of simulated user input or interprocess communication commands for exercising the goat file through the application, to generate an infected goat file. A further step can be executed of (c) replicating the infected goat file onto a least one further goat file, using at least one of simulated user input, such as keystrokes, mouse clicks and the like, or interprocess communication commands, to generate an additional instance of an infected goat file. The step of providing includes a step of determining attributes of the suspect virus sample, and the steps of exercising employ simulated user input or interprocess communication commands that are selected based at least in part on the determined attributes. As a parallel process the steps of exercising include steps of detecting an occurrence of a window, such as a pop-up window that is opened by one of the application or the macro virus; and using at least one of simulated user input or interprocess communication command(s) for closing the opened window. In this manner the replication process is not halted by a window that requires input from a user.
U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 20050246631 by Mori, published Nov. 3, 2005, describes storing and managing one document of respective parts as electronic data created by a plurality of applications regardless of the type of application program which creates each part of one document. For this purpose, a plurality of shared folders are set on a network, and attributes in printing are set for the shared folders. A hot folder program supervises the shared folders. When a document image data file scanned by a multifunction apparatus is stored in one of the shared folders, the hot folder program causes an action program to perform a process complying with the attributes set for the shared folder which stores the file, and a bookbinding application to import the file.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,067 by Makinen et al., issued May 26, 1998, describes a system and method for automatically archiving data from a computer system to a backup system. The system provides a scheduler, connected to an automated backup mechanism, for scheduling when full backups are performed and when incremental backups are performed. A simple user interface is provided to ensure that once the end user has enabled the system, daily automatic backups will be performed without further input from the end user.
However, current backup systems do not operate as conveniently as they might. For example, one problem with the described techniques that employ file lists to identify files to backup is that these predetermined lists are not comprehensive; they cannot account for every possible file type that the user may eventually have on his computer. Moreover, a comprehensive list of every possible file type a user could have on her system would be virtually impossible to provide. Another issue with such techniques is that the selection of file types to backup is commonly performed during the initial configuration of the backup system, e.g. right after installation. Thus, even if the user correctly identifies all the file types that need to be backed up, files associated with any later installed applications will not be processed into the backup lists. Users will often forget to enter the backup software and add appropriate settings to include the new files or file types.
In view of the foregoing, there is a need in the art for data backup systems and methods for conveniently and efficiently determining and tracking which files are to be backed up. There is a need for systems and methods to handle backup settings for every file that may be employed by an application operating on the user system. Further, there is a need for such systems and methods to address the problem of new file types associated with applications installed after the backup system has been installed and initially configured. These and other needs are met by the present invention as detailed hereafter.